


Polaroid

by Watermelons000



Series: Of Relationships Among Songs [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Multi, Song Lyrics, Team Dynamics, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 08:57:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15815646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Watermelons000/pseuds/Watermelons000
Summary: Tony Stark knows love is a Polaroid.





	Polaroid

**Author's Note:**

> The song in this fic is called Polaroid by Imagine Dragons

_ I’m a reckless mistake _

Howard was cruel, it was proven behind the words he shouted behind closed doors and emphasized with fists. “Worthless, stupid, weak.” 

Tony knew now that they were wrong (false) but they always spun around in his never quitting mind. “Dumb, disgraceful, a shame to the Stark line.”

No matter how hard he tried to run from it, one phrase always caught up to him in the end.

”You were a  _reckless mistake_ and shouldn’t have even been born!”

Yet he had been. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

_ I’m a cold night’s intake _

Outside in the freezing night, hands nearly fleshless after a day in the lab with Howard, was when he decided upon it.

No jacket, limbs bare except for shorts and a t-shirt, Tony made up his mind.

He would control that frigid air, adopt the pain one felt taking their first deep breath stepping into the evening, become the sudden and unexpected at times, make the mind clearer or foggier, depending on the human in front of him. 

Because he was and would always be a Stark. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

_ I’m a one night too long _

It was always  _”Too long_ , Anthony, you took too long. There’s not enough insulation here, too much electrical output there, and what the hell is this? This soldering isn’t worth shit!”

And Tony would start over. 

The scraps were impossible to recover.

But somehow he did, because a Stark never used too much. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

_ I’m a come on too strong _

“Leave me alone, Anthony, can’t you see I’m busy?”

The sting of a ring was something Tony was intimately familiar with.

By now, though, pain was just an old friend, he embraced it. It didn’t hurt anymore. There was just pain.

But he didn’t cry because he was a Stark. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

 

_ All my life I’ve been living in the fast lane _

Feet tapping, eyes darting, mouth projecting.

_ Can’t slow down _

Mind whirling, thoughts spinning, calculations running.

_ I’m a rollin’ freight train _

Limbs flailing, fingers creating, hands moving.

_ One more time _

Create. Destroy. Rebuild.

_ Gotta start all over _

Create. Destroy. Rebuild.

_ Can’t slow down _

Mind whirling, thoughts spinning, calculations running.

_ I’m a lone red rover _

**Fate?**

_Adapt Anthony. You will get through your struggles._

**Never heard of her.**

 

_ I’m a hold my cards close _

Flashes of bright lights, shouts, and the clicks of cameras assault Tony everywhere.

No one knows him, beyond all of his masks.

”I will find out your secrets,” many whisper.

They can’t, he’s a Stark for crying out loud. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

_ I’m a wreck what I love most _

Ana? Dead.

Jarvis? Dead.

Mamma? Dead, at least, dead inside.

No one sees his grief, as he was a Stark. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

_ I’m a first class let down _

He fails and fails.

Howard loves to hate him for it.

Tony can’t bring himself to show how good he actually is, can’t let Howard fell threatened.

He patches his own wounds like a Stark: without complaint. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

_ I’m a shut up, sit down _

This was a favorite line of the humans. (He was human no longer, hadn’t been since childhood. He was pain personified now.)

”The math is not wrong, shut up, sit down!”

”If you don’t want to have sex, then shut up and sit down!”

He knew when to pick his battles, he was a Stark, never gave in. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

 

_ I am a head case _

Eccentric, he was labeled.

_ I am the color of boom _

Blood red with flashes of gold. Mammas favorite colors.

_ That’s never arriving _

He was the only one who ever go to see the colors.

_ And you are the pay raise _

**Fate?**

_ Always a touch out of view _

_Adapt, Anthony, you will get through your struggles._

_ And I am the color of boom. _

Blood red with flashes of gold. Mammas favorite colors.

 

_ All my life I’ve been living in the fast lane _

Feet tapping, eyes darting, mouth projecting.

_ Can’t slow down _

Mind whirling, thoughts spinning, calculations running.

_ I’m a rollin’ freight train _

Limbs flailing, fingers creating, hands moving.

_ One more time _

Create. Destroy. Rebuild.

_ Gotta start all over _

Create. Destroy. Rebuild.

_ Can’t slow down _

Mind whirling, thoughts spinning, calculations running.

_ I’m a lone red rover _

**Fate?**

_Adapt Anthony. You will get through your struggles._

**Never heard of her.**

 

_ Oh, how did it come to this? _

Tony sat, alone.

_ Oh, love is a polaroid _

Ty and Sunset betrayed him. Howard hated him.

_ Better in picture _

Everyone else always looked so happy.

_ Never could fill the void _

Tony sat, alone.

 

_ I’m a midnight talker _

He never took anyone home, despite popular belief.

He did drink, yes, but no one was around to see it anyway.

And in the late hours of the evening he would talk, and talk, and talk. And his bot, his child, would listen.

He never showed DUM-E to Howard, lest destruction fall upon his son, a Stark. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

_ I’m an alley walker _

The streets were always busy, but the alleys were peaceful.

Sometimes there would be bad humans around, but Tony never faltered.

He was used to pain, after all, and his aunt and godfather were spies.

They sucked at spying (they never saw beyond his masks), but were amazing at combat, learning quick was a Stark trait. And Starks are made of Iron.

_ I’m a day late two face _

Tony played the terrified orphan card when the time came.

Mourners from all over offered their sympathies for the loss of his parents, most of them fake.

However, when Tony got back to the mansion, he cackled. He had gotten over his grief for his mother long ago and he never cared about Howard.

Never showing true emotion was a Stark tradition. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

_ I’m a burn out quick pace _

He’s in the desert.

The suit had a good run, but ultimately had sustained too much damage to continue on before he could land.

Yinsen was dead. But he had survived with a light in his chest. It was poisoning him slowly, and it would catch up to him, but he just wanted to get out off the heat.

He didn’t show signs of weakness though, because he was a Stark. And Stark’s are made of Iron.

 

_ I am a head case _

Eccentric, he was labeled.

_ I am the color of boom _

Blood red with flashes of gold. Mammas favorite colors.

_ That’s never arriving _

Now others could see the colors too.

_ And you are the opera _

**Fate?**

_ Always on time and in tune _

_Adapt, Anthony, you will get through your struggles._

_ And I am the color of boom. _

Blood red with flashes of gold. Mammas favorite colors.

 

_ All my life I’ve been living in the fast lane _

Feet tapping, eyes darting, mouth projecting.

_ Can’t slow down _

Mind whirling, thoughts spinning, calculations running.

_ I’m a rollin’ freight train _

Limbs flailing, fingers creating, hands moving.

_ One more time _

Create. Destroy. Rebuild.

_ Gotta start all over _

Create. Destroy. Rebuild.

_ Can’t slow down _

Mind whirling, thoughts spinning, calculations running.

_ I’m a lone red rover _

**Fate?**

_Adapt Anthony. You will get through your struggles._

**Never heard of her.**

 

_ Oh, how did it come to this? _

Tony sat, alone.

_ Oh, love is a polaroid _

Hammer and Vanko hated him. Obie betrayed him.

_ Better in picture _

Everyone else always looked so happy.

_ Never could fill the void _

Tony sat, alone.

 

_ I’m gonna get ready _

Tony takes a deep breath and puts his trust in a team.

_ For the rain to fall heavy _

Surprise, surprise, they betray him too.

_ Oh let it fall _

It’s not like he expected anything less

_ Fall _

He’ll make himself a new team

_ Let it fall upon my head _

This one will become a _family_

 

_ All my life I’ve been living in the fast lane _

Feet tapping, eyes darting, mouth projecting.

_ Can’t slow down _

Mind whirling, thoughts spinning, calculations running.

_ I’m a rollin’ freight train _

Limbs flailing, fingers creating, hands moving.

_ One more time _

Create. Destroy. Rebuild.

_ Gotta start all over _

Create. Destroy. Rebuild.

_ Can’t slow down _

Mind whirling, thoughts spinning, calculations running.

_ I’m a lone red rover _

**Fate?**

_Adapt Anthony. You will get through your struggles._

**She’s an old friend.**

 

_ Oh, how did it come to this? _

Tony sat, alone.

_ Oh, love is a polaroid _

Steve betrayed him. But now he has a family.

_ Better in picture _

Everyone else always looked so happy.

_ Never could fill the void _

Tony sat, amongst his family, and finally understood _why._

_ Love is a polaroid _

Rhodes, Pepper, DUM-E, U, BUTTERFINGERS, FRIDAY

_ Love is a polaroid _

Bruce, Vision, Harley, Peter, Kamala

_ Love is a polaroid _

Carol, Jessica, Matt, Hope, _Stephen_

_ Love is a polaroid _

**Fate?**

_Yes Anthony?_

**You were right. Thank you.**

_Of course, Anthony. You will always have me._

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! 
> 
> I realize I didn’t put much about the Iron Man and Avengers movies in here, but I was really just focusing on Tony’s past.
> 
> Preferably no criticism or rude comments on this fic!
> 
> Hit me up on Tumblr @Watermelons000


End file.
